SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Giants left-handed pitcher Madison Bumgarner was named Minor League Baseball's Most Spectacular Pitcher today for finishing the season with the lowest ERA with a 1.46 mark. The award goes to the qualifying pitcher with the lowest regular season earned run average in a domestic full-season league. It marks the second straight season a Giants minor league pitcher has earned the award, as right-handed pitcher Kevin Pucetas won the honor last season, posting a 1.86 ERA for the Augusta GreenJackets.

Bumgarner, the South Atlantic League triple crown winner, went 15-3 with 164 strikeouts in 141.2 innings for the South Atlantic League Champion Augusta GreenJackets this season. He ranked third overall among minor league players in strikeouts and tied for fifth in wins. The South Atlantic League All-Star was named SAL Pitcher of the Week on five different occasions and was awarded the Topps SAL Pitcher of the Month for June after going 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA (3er, 25.0ip) in four starts, including his first career complete game shutout on June 11. In addition, the 19-year-old reeled off 38 consecutive scoreless innings July 28-August 27 (span of 6 starts), the longest scoreless stretch in all of minor league baseball this season.

Bumgarner helped lead the Augusta GreenJackets to their first SAL Championship since 1999 by going 2-0 and allowing just one unearned run in 14.0 innings in two playoff games this season.

The Hudson, North Carolina native will receive the MSP Award trophy and a check for $7,500 at a ceremony at the Triple-A Championship game in Oklahoma City on September 16.

In addition, right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicholson earned the ERA title in the Arizona League by fashioning a 1.15 mark in 62.2 innings. He finished with a 6-1 record with 54 strikeouts against just three walks while holding Arizona League opponents to a .159 average. The 23-year-old helped the Giants capture the Arizona League Title this season, the club's second championship in the last four years.